literature-review-tools

literature-review-tools is a skill in brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills, last changed 27 Jul 2026. It can touch credentials, reach the network, name web addresses and bundle scripts — read the findings before installing. Our pattern check flagged nothing at commit 371a40e on 27 Oct 2026.

Pattern check: nothing flagged · commit 371a40e · 27 Oct 2026

Install
From the author
Recommend AND run open-source AI tools, agents, Claude Code / Codex skills, and MCP servers for any stage of a literature review — searching, reading, extracting, synthesizing, screening, citation-checking, and paper writing. Use when the user asks "what tool should I use to..." OR "install/run/use <tool> to ..." for research/lit-review work: automating a survey or related-work section, PDF→Markdown extraction for LLMs (MinerU/marker/docling), PRISMA / systematic review (ASReview), citation-backed Q&A over PDFs (PaperQA2), wiring papers into Claude/Cursor via MCP (arxiv/paper-search/zotero servers), or chatting with a Zotero library. Ships a launcher (scripts/litrun.py) that installs each tool in an isolated venv and runs it. Curated catalog of 70+ vetted projects. 支持中英文(用于「文献综述工具选型」与「一键安装/运行」)。
Licence
Licence not identified
Repo stars
4.8k
Files
6 files
Checked
371a40e (opens in a new tab) · 27 Oct 2026

Install

Each tab says whether it installs commit 371a40e, the one we checked, or the latest version.

No tab for your agent? Use Any agent for OpenCode, Goose, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Zed, Roo Code, Factory Droid, Junie, Amp and Antigravity, and Claude Code for Cline. Kiro needs the folder copied by hand.

Pinned to commit 371a40e, the one we checked.

From your project's root folder:

tmp="$(mktemp -d)" &&
  git clone -q --depth 1 --filter=blob:none --no-checkout https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills.git "$tmp" &&
  git -C "$tmp" fetch -q --depth 1 origin 371a40e488c5d9e8e75ca2af5dd9667f8349c199 &&
  git -C "$tmp" sparse-checkout set -- skills/71-brycewang-lit-review-agent-tools/literature-review-tools &&
  git -C "$tmp" checkout -q 371a40e488c5d9e8e75ca2af5dd9667f8349c199 &&
  mkdir -p .claude/skills &&
  mkdir .claude/skills/literature-review-tools &&
  cp -R "$tmp"/skills/71-brycewang-lit-review-agent-tools/literature-review-tools/. .claude/skills/literature-review-tools/ &&
  rm -rf "$tmp"

If Claude Code was already running and this created the skills folder, run /reload-skills.

Claude Code docs (opens in a new tab)

What it can touch

From the files and frontmatter at commit 371a40e. This is how much a skill can do, not whether it is risky.

What it can touch: Shell, network or credentials

  • Reaches the network

    It sends or fetches data over the internet, for example with curl, an HTTP library or a package install.

  • Names web addresses

    It mentions outside web addresses the agent may visit. We list them but don't follow them.

  • Bundles scripts

    The folder holds code files the agent may run.

    scripts/fetch_arxiv.py

  • Touches credentials

    It reads, asks for or contains keys, tokens, passwords or similar secrets.

    scripts/litrun.py:240 · scripts/litrun.py:444 · scripts/litrun.py:98

Pattern check

Pattern check: nothing flagged · commit 371a40e · 27 Oct 2026

We checked every text file in this skill, at commit 371a40e on 27 Oct 2026, against 45 published patterns such as download-and-run commands, hidden text and credential access. We don't run the skill, we don't read the web pages it points to, and we can't judge everything its instructions might lead an agent to do. In published tests, pattern checks like this one missed most malicious skills. Read the skill before you install it — especially anything it asks you to download or run.

How the check worksReport an incorrect finding

Outside links we did not follow

  • https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/lit-review-agent-tools
  • https://github.com/opendatalab/MinerU
  • https://github.com/datalab-to/marker
  • https://github.com/docling-project/docling
  • https://arxiv.org/pdf/2206.01062
  • https://github.com/Future-House/paper-qa
  • https://github.com/asreview/asreview
  • https://github.com/assafelovic/gpt-researcher
  • https://github.com/stanford-oval/storm
  • https://github.com/scholarly-python-package/scholarly
Show 40 more
  • https://github.com/J535D165/pyalex
  • https://github.com/lukasschwab/arxiv.py
  • https://github.com/blazickjp/arxiv-mcp-server
  • https://github.com/openags/paper-search-mcp
  • https://github.com/54yyyu/zotero-mcp
  • https://github.com/Imbad0202/academic-research-skills
  • https://github.com/Imbad0202/academic-research-skills-codex
  • https://github.com/Master-cai/Research-Paper-Writing-Skills
  • https://github.com/alirezarezvani/claude-skills
  • https://github.com/lishix520/academic-paper-skills
  • https://github.com/OpenLAIR/dr-claw
  • https://github.com/beita6969/ScienceClaw
  • https://github.com/LeonChaoX/qinyan-academic-skills
  • https://github.com/lingzhi227/agent-research-skills
  • https://github.com/Aperivue/medsci-skills
  • https://github.com/dzhng/deep-research
  • https://github.com/langchain-ai/open_deep_research
  • https://github.com/LearningCircuit/local-deep-research
  • https://github.com/nickscamara/open-deep-research
  • https://github.com/IAAR-Shanghai/SurveyX
  • https://github.com/LitLLM/LitLLM
  • https://github.com/federicodeponte/opendraft
  • https://github.com/a554b554/AutoSurveyGPT
  • https://github.com/SakanaAI/AI-Scientist
  • https://github.com/SakanaAI/AI-Scientist-v2
  • https://github.com/aiming-lab/AutoResearchClaw
  • https://github.com/SamuelSchmidgall/AgentLaboratory
  • https://github.com/lamm-mit/SciAgentsDiscovery
  • https://github.com/IntologyAI/Zochi
  • https://github.com/HKUDS/DeepInnovator
  • https://github.com/neuml/paperai
  • https://github.com/khoj-ai/openpaper
  • https://github.com/PouriaRouzrokh/LatteReview
  • https://github.com/Open-and-Sustainable/prismAId
  • https://github.com/Black-Lights/prisma-review-tool
  • https://github.com/JackKuo666/PubMed-MCP-Server
  • https://github.com/drAbreu/alex-mcp
  • https://github.com/oksure/openalex-research-mcp
  • https://github.com/MuiseDestiny/zotero-gpt
  • https://github.com/papersgpt/papersgpt-for-zotero

Format check

Each agent reads SKILL.md a little differently. We check the file against each one's published rules; we don't run the skill in any agent.

  • Agent Skills specPasses with warnings

    The open format from agentskills.io, held to what the strictest agents enforce, so one folder loads everywhere.

    • Warning

      The description contains < or >. Uploads to the Claude apps and API reject it. D3

      Fix: Remove < and >, or reword (for example "less than").

    • Note

      There is no license field, so readers can't tell whether they may reuse the skill. O2

      Fix: Add license: with an SPDX name such as MIT or Apache-2.0, or the name of a bundled licence file.

    • Note

      Reference files over 100 lines with no table of contents at the top: reference/catalog.md (161 lines). B5

      Fix: Add a short list of the sections at the top of each.

  • Claude CodePasses

    Claude Code reads its own extra fields, ignores unknown ones, and still loads a skill whose frontmatter is broken, without its fields.

    • Note

      Reference files over 100 lines with no table of contents at the top: reference/catalog.md (161 lines). B5

      Fix: Add a short list of the sections at the top of each.

  • Claude apps & API uploadFails

    Uploading to claude.ai or the Claude API, or packaging with Anthropic's script, accepts only the six spec fields and stops on anything else.

    • Error

      The description contains < or >. Anthropic's validator rejects any angle bracket there. D3

      Fix: Remove < and >, or reword (for example "less than").

    • Note

      The description is 806 characters. The claude.ai Help Center says 200 at most, though Anthropic's API docs and validator allow 1,024. D4

      Fix: If the claude.ai upload refuses it, trim the description to 200 characters.

    • Note

      Reference files over 100 lines with no table of contents at the top: reference/catalog.md (161 lines). B5

      Fix: Add a short list of the sections at the top of each.

  • OpenAI (Codex & API)Passes
  • VS Code & CopilotPasses with warnings

    VS Code reads skills one folder below .github/skills, .claude/skills or .agents/skills and falls back to the folder name when the name is missing or differs; GitHub's Copilot docs require the exact name SKILL.md.

    • Warning

      VS Code deletes text between < and > in a description, so "<tool>" would vanish. D3

      Fix: Remove the angle brackets or reword.

SKILL.md

We only show SKILL.md text here when its licence clearly allows it.

Read SKILL.md on GitHub (opens in a new tab)

Files

More from brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

  • a1

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    VS-Enhanced Research Question Refiner - Prevents Mode Collapse and derives differentiated research questions Enhanced VS 3-Phase process: Modal question avoidance, alternatives presentation, differentiated RQ recommendation Use when: refining research ideas, formulating research questions, clarifying scope Triggers: research question, 연구 질문, PICO, SPIDER, research idea

    • Instructions only
    Pattern check: Nothing flagged

    No licence · 4.8k repo stars · Updated 2 Apr 2026

  • a2

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    VS-Enhanced Theoretical Framework Architect with Critique & Visualization Full VS 5-Phase process: Modal theory avoidance, Long-tail exploration, differentiated framework presentation Absorbed A3 (Devil's Advocate) critique and A6 (Conceptual Framework Visualizer) capabilities Use when: building theoretical foundations, designing conceptual models, deriving hypotheses, critiquing frameworks, visualizing models Triggers: theoretical framework, 이론적 프레임워크, conceptual model, 개념적 모형, hypothesis derivation, critique, devil's advocate, 반론, visualization, diagram

    • Instructions only
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  • a5

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    Agent A5 - Paradigm & Worldview Advisor - Philosophical foundations for research design. Covers ontology, epistemology, axiology, and methodology alignment. Use when: establishing philosophical foundations, justifying methodological choices, writing positionality statements Triggers: paradigm, 패러다임, ontology, epistemology, worldview, 세계관, philosophical foundations, 철학적 기초

    • Instructions only
    Pattern check: Nothing flagged

    No licence · 4.8k repo stars · Updated 2 Apr 2026

  • ablation-planner

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    Use when main results pass result-to-claim (claim_supported=yes or partial) and ablation studies are needed for paper submission. Codex designs ablations from a reviewer's perspective, CC reviews feasibility and implements.

    • Runs shell commands
    • Pre-approves tools
    Pattern check: 1 item to review

    No licence · 4.8k repo stars · Updated 19 Jul 2026

  • ablation-planner

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    Use when main results pass result-to-claim (`claim_supported = yes` or `partial`) and ablation studies are needed for paper submission. A secondary Codex agent designs ablations from a reviewer's perspective; the local executor reviews feasibility and implements.

    • Runs shell commands
    • Pre-approves tools
    Pattern check: 1 item to review

    No licence · 4.8k repo stars · Updated 2 Apr 2026

  • abstract

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    Reads the manuscript and notebooks to generate a structured abstract. Use when writing or updating the abstract.

    • Runs shell commands
    • Pre-approves tools
    Pattern check: 1 item to review

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All skills in brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills